In January 2004, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implemented a new system at 115 airports and 14 seaports, which is designed to confirm the identity of arriving foreign visitors. The new system is called the US-VISIT program, i.e. the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology. Further information on the US-VISIT program can be found at www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/USVisitRegulation1-5-04.pdf.
Today the primary focus of US-VISIT is on entry. By the end of 2005, it is planned that entrance and exit procedures will be phased in at all border entrances in the US. Currently 30 airports implement the exit portion of the program.
The US-VISIT uses scanning equipment to collect biometric identifiers, specifically digital fingerprints and digital photos of a person's face.
Data collected from foreign visitors is securely stored as part of a visitor's travel record. Upon exiting the US, visitors check out at kiosks by scanning their passport or visa and repeating the fingerprint scan.
The stored information will be available to authorized officials and law enforcement agencies and will help verify compliance with visa and immigration policies. The information, e.g. the scanned fingerprints, will be checked against a database of known and suspected terrorists and other undesirables.
A potential problem arises when a visitor overstays his visa. In the current system, this overstay will be caught if he exits the country. It is possible that a warrant for his arrest could be issued because the central database has detected an overstay. The problem is then locating the individual. The majority of visitor visas are issued for a period of six months. Within six months, it is possible for a visitor to fraudulently change his identity. The invention proposes to close many of these loop holes.